Arsenal vs Lens LIVE: Champions League result and reaction as Gunners demolish Lens to reach knockout rounds

Arsenal sealed top spot in Group B with a barnstorming performance against Lens in the Champions League that saw them score six goals without reply at the Emirates Stadium.

It took just 13 minutes for Kai Havertz to settle any nerves when he poked home the opener from close range to cap off an aggressive and dominant start. What followed was a consistent run of goal scoring as Gabriel Jesus turned in the second when checking inside before Bukayo Saka chested one over the line.

Gabriel Martinelli’s curling effort made it four goals before the half hour mark but Arsenal kept their feet on the gas. Martin Odegaard adding a fifth with a fabulous volley in stoppage time during the first half.

The tempo understandably slackened in the second half but when the hosts were awarded a penalty late in the match, Jorginho coolly slotted it home to become the sixth goalscorer of the evening.

Relive the action below:

Arsenal vs Lens live

• Arsenal hammer Lens 6-0 in the Champions League

• The Gunners qualify for the last-16 after win tonight

• 86’ GOAL! - Jorginho rolls in the penalty (ARS 6-0 LEN)

• 45+1’ GOAL! - Odegaard continues the scoring with a great volley (ARS 5-0 LEN)

• 41’ POST! - Medina hits the post for Lens (ARS 4-0 LEN)

• 27’ GOAL! - Martinelli curls in a wonderful strike (ARS 4-0 LEN)

• 23’ GOAL! - Saka adds a goal to his assist (ARS 3-0 LEN)

• 21’ GOAL! - Jesus adds a second with a fine finish (ARS 2-0 LEN)

• 13’ GOAL! - Havertz scores to put Arsenal ahead (ARS 1-0 LEN)

• 6’ CLOSE! - Jesus’ volley goes wide (ARS 0-0 LEN)

Arsenal FC 6 - 0 Racing Club de Lens

Arsenal show how the Champions League should be done – Man Utd and Newcastle take note...

22:15 , Mike Jones

It probably wasn’t Mikel Arteta’s pre-match team talk, but it could have been. “Forget brinksmanship. Group stage drama is for amateurs and also-rans. Just go out, do the job and wait until the Champions League’s proper action starts in February.” Perhaps it would have been emphasised with lots of hand gesticulations, had he taken that approach.

After the week’s earlier drama involving fellow Premier League teams, Arsenal fans might have been feeling a little left out in that regard, but they shouldn’t be. Their side is far more complete, far further along the teambuilding process and far more prepared to go far in a major European competition. It’s probably also fair to note they have a far more routine group, certainly than Newcastle at least.

This 6-0 drubbing of a distinctly second-rate RC Lens showed as much, as does the far more important fact of Arsenal qualifying for the last 16 with a game to spare.

Arsenal show how Champions League should be done – Man Utd and Newcastle take note...

FT Arsenal 6-0 Lens

22:14 , Mike Jones

Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka to TNT Sports: “Everyone is really happy. It’s our first time back in the Champions League for a while and we’ve qualified with a game to go.

“When we first looked at our group we wanted to finish top. We’ve done that so can be proud. The boss is already reminding us to just enjoy a little bit and then focus on Wolves on Saturday.”

FT Arsenal 6-0 Lens

22:10 , Mike Jones

Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus speaking to TNT Sports: “We were amazing. Everyone was focused. We controlled the game. They tried to come in the second half. At the end everyone played amazing. The team performance was top. We have to keep going.

“Playing at home, we know our support is amazing. They push us. We want to win the game and qualify. Congratulations to the whole team.

“We didn’t concede a goal. We kept a clean sheet and then we scored in the last minutes.

“I watch the Champions League a lot at home. I love football. The Champions League is special, like the Premier League. I already won the Premier League, I want to win here, but I want to win the Champions League as well.”

22:07 , Mike Jones

Arsenal are the first side in Champions League history to have as many as five different scorers (excl. own goals) in the first half of a match in the competition.

FT Arsenal 6-0 Lens

22:05 , Mike Jones

Gabriel Jesus is the first player to score in each of his first four Champions League games for an English club.

FT Arsenal 6-0 Lens

22:01 , Mike Jones

Full-time! Arsenal 6-0 Lens

21:54 , Mike Jones

90+3 mins: Wahi has a stoppage time shot on goal but Saliba gets across and blocks the effort before celebrating as though he’d scored a goal. The defender really wants a clean sheet tonight.

He gets one.

The full-time whistle goes. Arsenal have blown Lens away at the Emirates Stadium and will finish top of Group B. They’re through to the knockout rounds with a game to spare.

Arsenal 6-0 Lens

21:50 , Mike Jones

90 mins: There’s going to be three minutes of added time to play.

GOAL! Arsenal 6-0 Lens (Jorginho, 86’)⚽️

21:47 , Mike Jones

86 mins: It’s six!

Jorginho is actually the man to take the penalty after Odegaard placed the ball. The Italian guides it to the goalkeeper’s left and puts the icing on the cake for Arsenal.

Penalty to Arsenal!

21:45 , Mike Jones

Arsenal 5-0 Lens

84 mins: Things are going from bad to worse for Lens. A VAR check shows there’s a handball in the area and Martin Odegaard will have the chance to make it six.

Arsenal 5-0 Lens

21:43 , Mike Jones

84 mins: Gabriel Jesus has impressed again tonight but he’s night is done and Eddie Nketiah comes on to play the final 10 minutes or so.

The action was done and dusted in the first half but he’ll be hoping to add to the tally before the end of the game.

Arsenal 5-0 Lens

21:42 , Mike Jones

81 mins: White goes forward again and is fed the ball on the right wing. He slips it into the box for Martinelli this time who thinks about shooting but decides instead to pull the ball back for Reiss Nelson’s approach.

The ball is intercepted though and turned behind for a corner.

Arsenal 5-0 Lens

21:40 , Mike Jones

78 mins: Ben White gets the chance for a run to the byline and sends over a decent cross but Brice Samba is confident and plucks the ball out of the air.

Arsenal 5-0 Lens

21:36 , Mike Jones

75 mins: Jorginho makes his way onto the pitch replacing Declan Rice who applauds the Arsenal fans on his way off the pitch.

Arsenal are building a good squad under Mikel Arteta. There are a few areas they can improve but they looked like competitors for the big trophies in that first half.

Arsenal 5-0 Lens

21:32 , Mike Jones

72 mins: Jakub Kiwior wins the ball after a clearance from Samba. He nudges the ball to Martinelli who looks to dribble into space on the left but just loses possession as he reaches the edge of the box.

Arsenal 5-0 Lens

21:29 , Mike Jones

69 mins: Chance! Kai Havertz gets the crowd going with a weaving, twisting run to the byline before cutting the ball into the box for Martin Odegaard.

The Arsenal captain takes a shot and drills a low effort over to the bottom right corner. Brice Samba leaps acros to his left and manages to push the ball away but Gabriel Jesus is hovering nearby.

The goalkeeper scrambles to smother the loose ball as Jesus challenges for it. The forward is then punished for a foul and Lens have a free kick.

Arsenal 5-0 Lens

21:26 , Mike Jones

66 mins: Bukayo Saka lasted a touch over an hour but now he’s taken off by Mikel Arteta to make way for Reiss Nelson. Nelson is loudly cheered by the Arsenal fans and he’ll have a bit of time to get stuck into this game.

Arsenal 5-0 Lens

21:25 , Mike Jones

63 mins: Martin Odegaard is clattered by a lunging Massadio Haidara who dives in with a rogue tackle. The Arsenal man is okay after contact with the shin and the Gunners are awarded a free kick.

Arsenal 5-0 Lens

21:22 , Mike Jones

60 mins: Adrien Thomasson, a Lens substitute, makes a decent run off the ball to get in behind the Arsenal back line as as threaded pass comes down the right side.

It’s too heavy for him to get to though and David Raya comes over to scoop up the loose ball.

Arsenal 5-0 Lens

21:19 , Mike Jones

57 mins: Gabriel Jesus is still putting a shift in trying to press high up the pitch. He commits a foul looking to recover possession but it’s good intensity from the forward.

Arsenal 5-0 Lens

21:14 , Mike Jones

54 mins: Elye Wahi drifts into space on the right and is given the ball he takes it into the penalty area and looks to cross but the effort ends up in the hands of David Raya.

Arsenal 5-0 Lens

21:12 , Mike Jones

51 mins: Arsenal are maintaining possession and advancing slowly up the pitch moving it from left-to-right with Declan Rice as the playmaker in the middle.

Martinelli attempts to dribble into the box but is forced to the byline and runs the ball out of play.

Arsenal 5-0 Lens

21:09 , Mike Jones

48 mins: Arsenal are more than comfortable in this game. They’re happy to let Lens have the ball and equally happy in possession themselves.

There’s no danger, no urgency and no sense that the French side have a way back.

Second half! Arsenal 5-0 Lens

21:06 , Mike Jones

Lens get the ball rolling for the second half. Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu have been taken off at half-time with Ben White and Jakub Kiwior introduced.

HT Arsenal 5-0 Lens

21:01 , Mike Jones

Arsenal’s 4-0 lead within 27 minutes is joint-fastest an English side has ever scored four in a Uefa Champions League game, along with Manchester United v Brøndby IF in November 1998 en route to winning the competition that season.

HT Arsenal 5-0 Lens

20:57 , Mike Jones

Kai Havertz has scored in consecutive games in all club competitions, having gone 31 games without a non-penalty goal prior to this run.

Meanwhile, Bukayo Saka is the second player from Europe’s big five leagues to reach 10 assists in all competitions this season after Florian Wirtz.

HT Arsenal 5-0 Lens

20:53 , Mike Jones

Half-time! Arsenal 5-0 Lens

20:49 , Mike Jones

45+2 mins: What a performance from Arsenal. They head into the break with five goals to their name and a comfortable grip on Group B.

GOAL! Arsenal 5-0 Lens (Odegaard, 45+1)⚽️

20:48 , Mike Jones

45+1 mins: Arsenal come forward as a team with Saka driving the ball forward. He offloads it to Tomiyasu who dinks the ball into the penalty area where it drops to Martin Odegaard who volleys a fine strike into the back of the net.

Arsenal 4-0 Lens

20:46 , Mike Jones

45 mins: Chance!

Martinelli moves centrally as Havertz nudges the ball to the edge of the box. He feeds it across to Saka who slips Martinelli into the box as he makes a diagonal run.

Martinelli gets to the ball and rattles it at the target only to hit the side netting.

Arsenal 4-0 Lens

20:42 , Mike Jones

41 mins: Post! Facundo Medina turns the ball over inside Arsenal’s half and drives forward. He shoots from range as Raya leaps across to his left.

The ball swerves past the goalkeeper and rattles the upright!

Arsenal 4-0 Lens

20:40 , Mike Jones

39 mins: Another free kick for Lens is whipped into the box from the inside right channel this time. David Raya comes out to claim the ball but fumbles it under pressure.

There’s a scramble in the box before the Gunners manages to belt the ball clear.

Arsenal 4-0 Lens

20:38 , Mike Jones

36 mins: A free-kick is delivered into the box by the visitors and a few of their players are appeal to the referee for a penalty. They want anything to give them a chance of a comeback.

A replay shows the ball hit Kai Havertz’s leg and then his arm but VAR doesn’t see fit to call the referee over to the monitor.

Arsenal 4-0 Lens

20:35 , Mike Jones

33 mins: Bukayo Saka is crunched again and goes down in a heap. Mikel Arteta will be bringing him off at half-time for sure. The match has been won already and there’s no need to risk your star man.

Arsenal 4-0 Lens

20:32 , Mike Jones

30 mins: Danger!

Arsenal burst forward on a counter attack after turning the ball over in midfield. Gabriel Jesus is the man released into space and holds up the ball brilliantly.

Martinelli overlaps and heads into the box but Jesus’ threaded pass doesn’t reach him and the opportunity breaks down.

GOAL! Arsenal 4-0 Lens (Martinelli, 27’)⚽️

20:30 , Mike Jones

27 mins: Arsenal are running riot at the Emirates Stadium. Less than half an hour played and they’re four goals up.

A hoofed clearance from Takehiro Tomiyasu brings the ball across the field to Gabriel Martinelli. The winger carries the ball into the box, nips inside and slots a beautiful shot into the far bottom corner.

GOAL! Arsenal 3-0 Lens (Saka, 23’)⚽️

20:26 , Mike Jones

23 mins: A long ball comes up the pitch and is chested down to Kai Havertz. He threads the ball into the box for Gabriel Martinelli who rolls it onto his right foot and shoots.

Brice Samba makes the save but pushes the ball straight to Bukayo Saka who doesn’t know much about it. The ball hits him in the chest and rebounds over the line.

Saka’s got a goal and an assist now.

GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Lens (Jesus, 21’)⚽️

20:24 , Mike Jones

21 mins: Lovely finish!

Bukayo Saka receives the ball on the right wing and darts inside, shrugging off a few tackles on the way. He bulldozers his way into the penalty area then frees the ball to Gabriel Jesus.

Jesus nips onto his right foot then rolls a fine effort under the goalkeeper to double Arsenal’s lead.

Arsenal 1-0 Lens

20:21 , Mike Jones

18 mins: It’s now two goals in two games for Kai Havertz who seems to be settling into life at the Emirates after his move this summer. There’s a quality player there but he needs more consistency to nail down a spot in the starting line-up.

Lens move up the pitch but Havertz is fouled trying to win back the ball.

Arsenal 1-0 Lens

20:18 , Mike Jones

15 mins: That goal means Arsenal are four points clear at the top of Group B as it stands. They’re topping the table and heading to the knockouts as group winners.

PSV Eindhoven, following their win over Sevilla, are second with eight.

GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Lens (Havertz, 13’)⚽️

20:15 , Mike Jones

13 mins: The ball is flicked into the box from the inside right channel and Gabriel Jesus challenges for the ball. He may be offside as it drops but he manages to prod the ball into the six-yard area where Kai Havertz arrives and pokes it home.

Arsenal 0-0 Lens

20:13 , Mike Jones

12 mins: Close! Takehiro Tomiyasu comes forward on the right wing and brings the ball into space. He lifts a cross over to the far side of the box and picks out Kai Havertz.

The German rises above everyone else and nods it wide of the far post.

Arsenal 0-0 Lens

20:12 , Mike Jones

9 mins: The build-up play is patient and clinical with Arsenal picking the moments and their passes to offer the best opportunities in the box.

Lens are defending solidly. They’re moving around as a well drilled unit and keeping Arsenal at bay.

Arsenal 0-0 Lens

20:09 , Mike Jones

6 mins: Close! The first chance of the game comes to Arsenal. Oleksandr Zinchenko is fed the ball on the inside left channel and he flicks a cross over to the back post.

Gabriel Jesus arrives from the right and volleys a side-footed effort just wide of the near post.

Arsenal 0-0 Lens

20:06 , Mike Jones

3 mins: Arsenal are just feeling out their opponents. They’ve had most of the ball over the opening few minutes and have tested the backline a couple of times without being too penetrating.

Kick off! Arsenal 0-0 Lens

20:02 , Mike Jones

Arsenal kick off the match and knock the ball back to David Raya. He’s returned in goal tonight after missing the Brentford game and gets stuck into the action with a long ball forward.

Arsenal vs Lens

19:57 , Mike Jones

Here come the teams.

After a light show at the Emirates Stadium, the players head out onto the pitch. If they avoid defeat tonight they win finish top of the group and qualify for the next stage of the competition.

Martin Odegaard has the captain’s armband once again.

Arsenal vs Lens team news

19:55 , Luke Baker

A reminder of the teams this evening. We’re only about five minutes away from kick-off now.

Arsenal XI: Raya; Tomiyasu, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Rice, Havertz, Odegaard; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli

Lens XI: Samba; Gradit, Danso, Medina; Frankowski, Mendy, Samed, Haidara; Sotoca, Fulgini, Wahi

Arsenal vs Lens

19:49 , Mike Jones

Arteta on finishing top of the group: “We want to be top of the group and the opportunity is there for us, against a team that causes problems, and that we’ve already experienced against them, so we have the right motivation to do that.

“We have to win at home, and we have to win the group if we can. That’s the mentality of the team, that’s for sure.”

Arsenal vs Lens

19:43 , Luke Baker

Lens fans already out in numbers at the Emirates.

Arsenal vs Lens

19:36 , Luke Baker

Arsenal ready to go for the game this evening.

Arsenal vs Lens

19:30 , Mike Jones

Arteta on Fabio Vieira: “He’s been having some discomfort and we tried to have alternative treatment with him, and he wasn’t improving so we’ve sent him to see a specialist and that was to get an operation done in his groin, and we did that yesterday,

“We’re expecting him to be out for weeks now. We don’t expect him to do that [be back this side of the break], so let’s see how he evolves and obviously, the operation was done yesterday so we’re going to have to wait and see, but we will take it as it comes.”

Arsenal vs Lens

19:25 , Mike Jones

Lens’ first Champions League home game in 21 years ended in a 2-1 home win against the Gunners despite Gabriel Jesus giving the visitors a 14th-minute lead. Adrien Thomasson levelled 11 minutes later and a 69th-minute goal from Elye Wahi ultimately proved decisive.

The teams had previously met in the 1999/2000 Uefa Cup semi-finals with Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal winning 1-0 at home and 2-1 away.

Arsenal vs Lens

19:20 , Mike Jones

Lens are level on five points with PSV Eindhoven, who ended their unbeaten return to the Champions League with a 1-0 victory in the Netherlands last time out, but do hold a three-point cushion on fourth-placed Sevilla, their Matchday 6 opponents.

Arsenal vs Lens

19:15 , Mike Jones

Four points clear at the top of Group B, Arsenal are looking to confirm their place in the Champions League knockout rounds at home to Lens .

The Gunners have won three of their four games in this season’s Champions League after six seasons away, the sole exception a 2-1 loss at Lens on Matchday 2 – the Ligue 1 side’s first home Champions League game since 2002.

Mikel Arteta hails Aaron Ramsdale despite errors in Arsenal’s win over Brentford

19:10 , Mike Jones

Mikel Arteta defended Aaron Ramsdale after the Arsenal goalkeeper’s error-strewn display in the 1-0 win at Brentford.

Not even Kai Havertz’s late winner, which sent the Gunners to the top of the Premier League for the first time this season, could mask a horror show from Ramsdale.

The 25-year-old was back in the spotlight on his first league appearance since September 3 with David Raya, now seemingly the club’s undisputed number one, still on loan from Brentford and ineligible to face his parent club.

Mikel Arteta hails Aaron Ramsdale despite errors in Arsenal’s win over Brentford

Lens team news

19:05 , Luke Baker

And here’s the Lens team to take on Arsenal this evening.

Ex-Nottingham Forest play-off hero Brice Samba captains the French side from between the sticks while highly-rated 20-year-old Elye Wahi will be their main attacking threat.

Lens XI: Samba; Gradit, Danso, Medina; Frankowski, Mendy, Samed, Haidara; Sotoca, Fulgini, Wahi

Arsenal vs Lens

19:05 , Mike Jones

Mikel Arteta on Bukayo Saka: “I don’t know what world-class means but he’s a top, top player that’s for sure. Getting to the top is one thing.

“The way he has improved is really steady. He has got the right mentality. He has the right people around him. He wants more and that’s because there’s much more to come.”

Arsenal vs Lens

19:00 , Mike Jones

Pre-match thoughts from Lens defender Massadio Haïdara: “It’s always nice to play against great teams in stadiums like these. But we mustn’t forget why we made the trip. We have to forget about the environment and concentrate on the match.

“As usual, we’re going to do everything we can to win. It won’t be easy because we’ll be up against a great opponent. We put in a good performance in the first game.

“The context will be different tomorrow evening, but the team will give everything. We’ll put in place what we know so that we leave London with all three points. The whole team are aware of what awaits them tomorrow and are preparing as best they can.”

Arsenal team news

18:59 , Luke Baker

The Arsenal team has landed. Tomiyasu is preferred to White at right-back, while Saka, Jesus and Martinelli make up the front three.

Fresh off his weekend winner, Kai Havertz starts with Jorginho an option from the bench, while David Raya back in goal ahead of Aaron Ramsdale.

Arsenal XI: Raya; Tomiyasu, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Rice, Havertz, Odegaard; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli.

Arsenal vs Lens

18:55 , Mike Jones

Franck Haise, Lens coach: “Our ambitions are always the same. We know our opponents are stronger than us, but that doesn’t mean we won’t be able to cause them problems.

“We’ll have to raise our game in all areas to try and compete. What is certain is that if we want to be there, we will have to be there with our usual principles and strengths.”

Emile Smith Rowe and Thomas Partey updates

18:49 , Mike Jones

Mikel Arteta was asked if Emile Smith Rowe and Thomas Partey would be fit to play before January and he said: "It is a possibility but it will depend on how they evolve,

"Emile has been already on the pitch doing some jogging, so I don’t know how long it’s going to take. Normally he is a quick healer, and Thomas is the same.

“We have to make sure that when they come back they are at their best as well. We don’t want to rush them, but at the same time the team needs them because at the moment we are missing some key, key players."

Rice on how Arsenal will play

18:40 , Mike Jones

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice outlined why the Gunners were so impressive against Sevilla and what Lens can expect when they travel to London for this game.

“High energy, at it from the start and full gas,” he said. “We didn’t let them breathe. I think they had one shot all game. All round, just a really good performance, especially with them sitting so deep and playing in a back five, which is always hard to break down.”

Arteta looking to improve European record

18:35 , Mike Jones

Since his appointment as Arsenal boss in 2019, Mikel Arteta’s best run in Europe was reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League in 2021.

He was asked if he still had something to prove in Europe as Arsenal manager and he replied: "For sure,

"I think it is not that we have to prove, we had to come back into Europe being the club we want to be, have that presence and the results that tell them we are back in a strong way. We haven’t done that yet and it needs to be done."

Group B permutations

18:30 , Mike Jones

Arsenal are top but not quite yet guaranteed a last-16 spot after beating Sevilla in routine fashion last time out. A four-point lead means they are well on course though and a home win over Lens on Wednesday evening will seal the job.

PSV and Lens are both on five points, with Sevilla on two, so there’s a scrap on to nick second place. Arsenal are away to PSV on MD6, so can still wrap up matters there if they slip up against the French side.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta believes he still has something to prove in Europe

18:25 , Mike Jones

Mikel Arteta admits he still has something to prove as a manager in European competition as he aims to lead Arsenal into the Champions League knockout stages on Wednesday night.

The Gunners host Lens at the Emirates Stadium knowing a point would secure safe passage into the last 16 while victory will seal top spot in Group B.

Arteta led Arsenal back into the Champions League after a seven-year absence but – other than a run to the semi-finals in 2020-21 – he struggled in Europa League knockout games earlier in his tenure.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta believes he still has something to prove in Europe

Arsenal vs Lens prediction

18:20 , Mike Jones

Lens inflicted defeat on the Gunners in their last meeting but Arsenal should secure the victory in front of their home fans. With it will also come a place in the knockout rounds.

Arsenal 2-0 Lens.

Arsenal vs Lens predicted line-ups

18:15 , Mike Jones

Arsenal XI: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu, Odegaard, Jorginho, Rice, Saka, Jesus, Martinelli

Lens XI: Samba; Gradit, Khusanov, Medina; Aguilar, El Aynaoui, Abdul Samed, Frankowski; Thomasson, Fulgini; Wahi

Arsenal team news

18:10 , Mike Jones

David Raya will be available again after he missed the game against Brentford on Saturday due to being ineligible to face his parent club.

Martin Odegaard was also fit enough to play, but Ben White could return for the Champions League clash.

Jurrien Timber, Emile Smith Rowe and Thomas Partey remain on the long-term injury list.

How to watch Arsenal vs Lens

18:05 , Mike Jones

The Champions League match is at the Emirates Stadium in London with a kick off time of 8pm GMT.

Arsenal vs Lens will be shown live on TNT Sports 2 with coverage starting from 7pm GMT. Subscribers can stream the actions via the Discovery+ app.

If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the event, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider.

Arsenal vs Lens

18:00 , Mike Jones

Good afternoon and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of tonight’s Champions League action. Arsenal host Lens in Group B at 8pm and could qualify for the next round if they are victorious.

The Gunners sit top of the group with nine points from their opening four fixtures and will reach the knockout rounds if the defeat the French club tonight.

Lens are the only team to take points off Mikel Arteta’s side in Europe this season having defeated them 2-1 in their home game earlier in the tournament. Currently third in the group, three points are crucial for their hopes of reaching the next stage.

We’ll have the latest updates, team news and match action throughout the evening so stick with us as we build up to kick off.